Last night, I didn’t feel great: My IBS was acting up, making me feel passy outy. I had a sore throat, chills, was achy, was sure I was getting a cold (but I’m sure I’m getting a cold about once a week when the flu symptoms are acting up). I went in the hot tub to alleviate the chills, then, an hour later, took a shower, then, an hour later, took an epsom salt bath and went to bed. Couldn’t stave off the chills until I made the bath about 110 degrees. I went to bed at 7pm, but didn’t go to sleep until 11pm. I again took the LDN at 9:45pm and still had a bit of a tight chest, but nothing scary. My night was very tossy turny, as usual, and quite sweaty and feverish. The night sweats had completely gone away there for a few weeks, so I need to get back to that. When I sleep without sweats, it changes everything. I “slept” from 11pm-9am. 10 hours, but I only got 7.5 hours sleep. I was awake from 1am-2am, 5am-5:30am, 6am-7am and multiple other times briefly throughout the night (so said my Zeo). It makes me so crazy. I just want 8…9…10 hours of deep, uninterrupted sleep.
This morning I feel okay. Very stiff, but that is usual. My hands aren’t quite as swollen and sore. My eyes are still puffy. I have a sore on my tongue ~ something I’ve never experienced before. Hopefully it will go away if I ignore it.
Maybe you’re reading this for the LDN info and you didn’t sign up to hear the other stuff, so,for you: I feel no different than before I started on LDN 4 days ago (probably worse, actually) and, now, here is some fun other stuff I’m doing to help my symptoms:
My new Good Doctor has me starting a new regimen today. I have to do a 3-day stool collection (that’s probably why my IBS is acting up ~ at the thought of a poop collection!). Today, I am also starting a new diet and going shopping for a bunch of new supplements. The diet is: absolutely no grains of any kind, no dairy, no red meat, minimal amounts of processed foods and sugar. She said, if you can’t grow it, don’t eat it. I already know I’m going to break that rule. I will be strict about no grains (no granola, no rice, no popcorn! Oh my!) and no dairy, but I’m sure I’ll be using ketchup and mayo etc., buying tinned soups… those are things I can’t grow, right? Anyway, I’m trying to figure out what to eat for breakfast and it is stressing me out. Maybe I need to buy a juicer. Gross.
I’ll tell you the supplement details later in case anyone wants to try them.
Rag and Bone Shop of the Heart 
I think it’s so great that you are writing this blog. I feel better knowing in detail what’s happening with you on a daily basis. I’m trying to brainstorm what you can eat for breakfast and that IS so hard! Especially when you’re not much of a fruit person. “Maybe I need to by a juicer. Gross,” is hysterical. Potatoes? Can you have hash browns? And eggs? And asparagus?
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I sure do feel for you. Your experience with the doctor was just too much for me to handle, especially since you didn’t even see the doctor!
As for the LDN, I would stick with it I am at 3.75 years now and definitely can tell when I run out or for some reason forget to take it after 4 days. It is a pretty amazing drug. And I recommend it for everyone because it MODULATES the IMMUNE SYSTEM. I believe our conditions are misfunctions of our immune system, which then sets all sorts of other bad things into action, which we have no control over.
I went to 5 doctors asking for LDN, but all refused. Now, they are all so amazed that I am off the 13 drugs they had me on, which made me a complete zombie. I did it all without them. I was on all the LDN boards on yahoo groups. They are way more helpful than any doctor I have been to. I do have a good doctor now, but he isn’t a big advocate for LDN. If he were, I would be referring lots of patients to him. He has his specialty and doesn’t use drugs much, which is what I like. His name is Dr. Robert Franco if you want to look him up. He is in Riverside, CA, part of Southern California. You have to wait more than a half hour to see him, but when you do, you have his full attention.
The other thing I found out about on the LDN boards is the Iodine Protocol. If you are interested, there is a group on yahoo groups (do a serach for Iodine) and you will find them. I had to lower my thyroid meds at first when I started LDN. I will do both for the rest of my life, even though I don’t really like taking drugs, LDN has a different strategy and since it helps so much more than any of the other drugs I took, and I have had such amazing results, it will be in my playbook forever.
I wish you well and hope that things get better.
Please remember, you are very sick. And it will take time to get your immune system back together and functioning properly. LDN is NOT a stand alone treatment either. I support what your doctor is recommending, and I do basically the same, but do have my chocolate.
Below is some info I post about the Iodine Protocol. I hope it helps you some.
The Iodine Protocol
I would suggest looking at the Iodine Protocol. It has helped my issues a lot. http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/iodine/ is a great place for info on Iodine. They are busy, much like the LDN groups, so you might want to consider the digest mode. There is also info at http://www.optimox.com/pics/Iodine/opt_Research_I.shtml, and http://www.breastcancerchoices.org. There is also a page on Facebook – Iodine4Health.
Most people taking iodine these days only think that Lugol’s Iodine (LI) supplementation is good for just the thyroid. But the widespread beneficial effects of iodine supplementation — in larger doses (well above the RDA) — is really the only way you can achieve these whole body benefits, some of which are defined here as examples from research:
* Iodine acts to lower cholesterol and also helps to successfully remove and clear plaque from the heart arteries. Helps to cure arteriosclerosis and heart disease because iodine solubilizes and removes fats easily from the body. Iodine also helps you to lose weight by removing fat from the body.
* Iodine, as well as T3 and T4, tend to accumulate in the lungs. Iodine is anti-carcinogenic and anti-mutagenic. In the old pre-WW2 days iodine was used by medical doctors in much larger doses — 300 mgs to 2000 mgs. amounts (50 to 300 drops a day of Lugol’s) — to successfully treat chronic forms of bronchitis, asthma and emphysema. Lugol’s Iodine is therefore highly protective for the lungs in general.
* In larger dose, Lugol’s iodine inhibits the conversion of histidine to histamine. So Lugol’s acts as natural anti-histamine against allergies as well. Dr. Gerson claimed — in his Gerson Cancer Therapy – that Lugol’s iodine stopped allergies completely. See this link .
* For low acidity problems in the stomach, taking oral Lugol’s iodine will treat the root cause and revive proper acid levels in the stomach for proper digestion.
* There is an artery that runs through the thyroid/parathyroid which trickles out iodine continuously into the blood. This aids the immune system by weakening the pathogens already in the blood. Iodine kills 90%-95% of all known pathogens.
* Iodine in the blood also prevents bacteria and viruses from attaching themselves onto host cells for invasion, attack or reproduction.
* Cyst problems such as uterine fibroids (PCOS) and fibrocystic breast disease are completely resolved and cured, usually over a 3 month period, by taking 50 mgs (8 drops) Lugol’s iodine a day.
* Taking daily oral Lugol’s Iodine can also resolve prostate problems in men.
* Larger dose Lugol’s iodine, just on its own, can completely cure systemic candida. Google Search “Orian Truss iodine candida”.
This is not a full or complete list of the benefits from iodine supplementation and this list does not fully define the added extra benefits of a normalized thyroid from LI use.
I also stress again that the above benefits can only ever be obtained by larger dose supplementation of Lugol’s iodine — in milligram not microgram dosages — and according to the Iodine Project, the daily LI dose should fall between 12.5 mgs and 50 mgs a day.
One person reported “I used Lugol’s iodine as part of my own successful anti-candida protocol six years ago and I still take 5% Lugol’s iodine almost every day in dosages of between 4 drops and 8 drops (25 mgs to 50 mgs) a day for both extra protection and sufficiency.”
Here is a link to a good general research review — by Dr. Donald Miller — which describes all the extra-thyroidal or whole body benefits (other than for the thyroid) of iodine which is currently backed by research: http://www.jpands.org/vol11no4/millerd.pdf . And another link to iodine4health.com for more iodine benefits: The Pa-Am Iodine Study
.
Some historic and much older iodine usages in medicine:
http://iodine4health.com/overviews/uses/doctorsfacts_uses.htm
Adrenal Issues
You might also look at adrenal issues. I read the book by Dr. Wilson, Adrenal Fatigue – 21st Century Stress Problem. You also need to take unrefined salt. Started taking one tablespoon of Himalayan salt and it really helped. I support people getting tested for the adrenals. I don’t worry about testing for the Iodine because what I don’t need leaves the body. However, adrenals are another story altogether. And I think it is important to be tested for those before you start using them, using the 4 times a day SALIVA test.
Dr. Stephanie, (Buist of Stepping Stones Living, LLC) on the Iodine list, recommends Biotics Research Cytozyme AD. I tried it after trying others and this has helped me the most. My temps are finally rising, above 96.2!! Slow process!
I am not a doctor – I am a patient. I don’t know your situation, please check with your doctor first before starting any treatment. If they don’t know about it, you can educate them or find someone who does know about it. Contact a local compounding pharmacy for a possible lead on who would Rx it in your area. I make NO money from telling you about this medication. It is NOT a cure, nor a standalone treatment. Check out http://www.LDNInfo.org for more info.
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